Accessory for use with mobile telephones

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an accessory for use with mobile telephones. The accessory comprises a support body defining compartments within which mobile telephones and mobile telephone chargers can be held. The compartments for holding telephone chargers are each associated with a socket arrangement that can receive the contact pins of a telephone charger, all the socket arrangements being electrically connected with one another and being connectable to an electricity power supply. The accessory permits a plurality of mobile telephones to be simultaneously held therein and to be charged via their chargers from a single electricity power supply.

[0001] THIS INVENTION relates to an accessory for use with mobiletelephones.

[0002] According to the invention there is provided an accessory for usewith mobile telephones, which comprises a support body that defines atleast two pairs of holding formations, each pair of holding formationsincluding a first formation in which a mobile telephone can be held anda second formation in which the charger of a mobile telephone can beheld, and in which the support body has an electrical connectorarrangement located thereon that includes a socket arrangement, forreceiving the pins of a mobile telephone charger, for the secondformation of each pair of holding formations and connector means forconnecting the socket arrangements to a mains electricity power supply.

[0003] The support body may comprise a box-like structure defined by abase wall, two side walls, a front wall and a rear wall and the pairs ofholding formations may be compartments defined within the box-likestructure. Particularly, the pairs of holding formations may be disposedadjacent one another between the side walls of the box-like structure,with each first formation being a compartment disposed adjacent thefront wall of the structure and each second formation being acompartment disposed operatively behind the first formation with whichit forms a pair.

[0004] According to one particular embodiment of the invention, thesecond formations of the pairs of holding formations comprise a commoncompartment in which the socket arrangements are positioned to eachreceive the pins of a mobile telephone charger therein in aconfiguration in which all the socket arrangements can have the pins ofa mobile telephone charger received therein while located in the commoncompartment, operatively behind a first formation in which an associatedmobile telephone can be held. The accessory may include a lid for thesaid common compartment.

[0005] Further according to the invention, the compartments defining thepairs of holding formations each may be separated by a partition wallthat has a slot formation defined therein for receiving an electric cordof a mobile telephone charger, to permit a mobile telephone held in afirst compartment to be electrically connected with its charger via acord leading from the charger.

[0006] The front wall of the box-like structure forming the accessory ofthe invention preferably is of a transparent sheet material.

[0007] Still further according to the invention, the support body maydefine formations for supporting the body against a support wall. Also,the support body may have at least one hook-like formation projectingtherefrom in a configuration in which at least one key can be suspendedfrom the support body.

[0008] Each socket arrangement may be adapted to cooperate with theconnector pins of a predetermined mobile telephone charger.Alternatively, each socket arrangement may be adapted to cooperate withthe connector pins of a predetermined range of mobile telephonechargers.

[0009] The connector means of the electrical connector arrangement mayinclude a connector body mounted on the support body, which iselectrically connected to the socket arrangements and which isaccessible to permit a connector at one end of an electrical cord tocooperate therewith for connecting the socket arrangements in line witha mains electricity power supply, to which the other end of the cord isconnectable via a connector plug. The connector arrangement also mayinclude an on-off switch for controlling current flow to the socketarrangements.

[0010] The support body of the accessory of the invention may definecomplementary inter-connecting formations on the respective oppositesides thereof for permitting two or more similar support bodies to beinterconnected with one another in a side-by-side relationship.

[0011] The support body may be formed of any suitable material and,preferably, is formed of a synthetic plastics material. With the frontwall being formed of a transparent material, a mobile telephone held ina first holding formation clearly can be easily identified.

[0012] It must be appreciated that the accessory of the invention mayinclude any number of pairs of holding formations, it being envisaged inthis regard that the accessory of the invention will be particularlysuitable for use in a domestic situation in which, within a family,there may exist a relatively large number of mobile telephones and inwhich the accessory of the invention can provide for all the mobiletelephones to be neatly held together and to be charged in a neat andeffective manner, while using only one mains power supply point.

[0013] The accessory of the invention also may be associated with anyother means that can be associated with the use of a mobile telephone,particularly to provide for communication with mobile telephones heldthereby.

[0014] Further features of the invention are described hereafter withreference to an example of an accessory for use with mobile telephones,in accordance with the invention, which is illustrated in theaccompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:

[0015]FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of an accessory for use withmobile telephones, in accordance with the invention, with the lidthereof displaced from its operative position;

[0016]FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the accessory of FIG. 1, without itslid; and

[0017]FIG. 3 shows a side view of the accessory of FIG. 1, in itsoperative configuration.

[0018] Referring to the drawings, an accessory for use with mobiletelephones, in accordance with the invention, is designated generally bythe reference numeral 10. The accessory 10 comprises a support body inthe form of a box-like structure 12, the box-like structure 12 beingdefined by a base wall 14, two side walls 16, a front wall 18 and a rearwall 20.

[0019] The box-like structure 12 is divided into three pairs of holdingformations, each pair of holding formations including a firstcompartment 22 within which a mobile telephone can be held and a secondcompartment 24 in which the charger of a mobile telephone can be held.In the particular embodiment of the invention as shown, the secondcompartment 24 of the three pairs of holding formations comprise acommon compartment, although it must be appreciated that thesecompartments also can be separated by partition walls.

[0020] Each second compartment 24 forming a pair of holding formationswith a first compartment 22 has a socket arrangement in the form of atwo-pin socket formation 26 located therein, the sockets of the socketformations 26 being rendered accessible for two-pin plugs to be pluggedtherein via a raised floor 28 within the compartment 24, beneath whichthe remainder of the socket formations are located (see particularlyFIGS. 1 and 3).

[0021] As is illustrated clearly in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the socketformations 26 are electrically connected with one another via conductorwires 30 and are electrically connected to a connector socket 32,permitting a power supply to the socket formations 26 from a mains powersupply via a cord 34, in use connected between the mains power supply 36and the connector socket 32 (see FIG. 3). The sockets of the socketformations 26 are formed particularly to permit either specific, or arange of different, connector pins of mobile telephone chargers to beplugged therein, the particular sockets as shown in FIG. 2 being adaptedto receive a range of different connector pins, as are commonlyassociated with different countries, to be plugged therein. As such,three-pin socket formations also may be provided for, where required.

[0022] The wall 38 dividing the pairs of holding formations, eachdefined by a first compartment 22 and a second compartment 24, has threeslot formations 39 formed therein, each slot formation 39 being formedto receive a connector wire leading from a mobile telephone chargerplugged into a socket formation 26 to a first compartment 22, in orderto permit plugging into a mobile telephone that can be held within thefirst compartment 22. FIG. 3 particularly illustrates the operativeconfiguration of a mobile telephone with respect to its charger, withthe mobile telephone 40 being held within a first compartment 22 andbeing connected via a connector wire 42 to its charger 46, that isplugged into a socket formation 26.

[0023] It will thus be understood that when connected to a mains powersupply 36 in the configuration as shown in FIG. 3, charging of themobile telephone 40 when so plugged in will occur. It will also beunderstood that the second compartments 24, being defined as a commoncompartment, can have three mobile telephone chargers plugged therein,each charger to be associated with a mobile telephone to be held withina first compartment 22. With mobile telephone chargers so positionedwithin the common compartment forming the compartments 24, a lid 48 ofthe accessory 10 can cover the common compartment, particularly as shownin FIG. 3.

[0024] For use, the accessory of the invention can be positioned on anysuitable support surface in a suitably accessible location where it canbe effectively plugged into a mains power supply, permitting the useonly of this single power supply for charging three mobile telephonesheld in the respective first compartments 22 defined within the box-likestructure 12, while the chargers of the mobile telephones are heldwithin the common compartment forming the compartments 24. This permitsthe mobile telephones to be held in a neat configuration and in alocation where they are easily accessible, while also not requiring eachmobile telephone to be charged from a separate mains power supply. Therear wall 20 of the box-like structure 12 also has keyhole formations 50formed therein, whereby the box-like structure can be mountedconveniently on a support wall, thereby still further facilitating theuse of the accessory of the invention for the effective “storage” ofmobile telephones.

[0025] It will be understood that the accessory of the invention will beparticularly useful in domestic situations where a number of familymembers have their own mobile telephones that require simultaneouscharging. It is envisaged in this regard that the front wall of thebox-like structure 12 will be formed of a transparent material,rendering individual mobile telephones easily identifiable.

[0026] Also as illustrated, the side walls 16 of the box-like structure12 have venting slots formed therein in order to deal with any heatingthat may occur within the compartments 24 while mobile telephones arecharged via chargers located therein. It is envisaged also that theaccessory of the invention and, particularly, the individual pairs ofholding formations may be associated with hook-like formations locatedexternally on the box-like structure (only one formation 52 shown inFIG. 1), permitting the owners of particular mobile telephones to hang,for example, their car keys from the accessory, thus facilitating theeasy accessibility of keys and mobile telephones and avoiding mobiletelephones being “forgotten”.

[0027] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the side walls 16 of thebox-like structure 12 has venting slots 54 defined therein which canserve to prevent overheating with the common compartment forming thecompartments 24, during charging of mobile telephones.

[0028] It must be appreciated that the accessory of the invention may beassociated with any number of pairs of holding formations and it isenvisaged also in this regard that where accessories are associated, forexample, with two pairs of holding formations, the opposite side wallsof the accessory may be associated with interconnecting formationswhereby similar accessories can be held in an adjacent side-by-siderelationship, thus forming a combination for holding different numbersof mobile telephones together, in a neat convenient configuration asherein envisaged.

1. An accessory for use with mobile telephones, which comprises asupport body that defines at least two pairs of holding formations, eachpair of holding formations including a first formation in which a mobiletelephone can be removably held and a second formation in which thecharger of a mobile telephone can be removably held, and in which thesupport body has an electrical connector arrangement located thereonthat includes a socket arrangement, for receiving the pins of a mobiletelephone charger, for the second formation of each pair of holdingformations and connector means for connecting the socket arrangements toa mains electricity power supply.
 2. An accessory as claimed in claim 1,in which the support body comprises a box-like structure defined by abase wall, two side walls, a front wall and a rear wall and in which thepairs of holding formations are compartments defined within the box-likestructure.
 3. An accessory as claimed in claim 2, in which the pairs ofholding formations are disposed adjacent one another between the sidewalls of the box-like structure, with each first formation being acompartment disposed adjacent the front wall of the structure and eachsecond formation being a compartment disposed operatively behind thefirst formation with which it forms a pair.
 4. An accessory as claimedin claim 3, in which the second formations of the pairs of holdingformations comprise a common compartment in which the socketarrangements are positioned to each receive the pins of a mobiletelephone charger therein in a configuration in which all the socketarrangements can have the pins of a mobile telephone charger receivedtherein while located in the common compartment, operatively behind afirst formation in which an associated mobile telephone can be held. 5.An accessory as claimed in claim 4, which includes a lid for the saidcommon compartment.
 6. An accessory as claimed in any one of claims 2 to5, in which the compartments defining the pairs of holding formationsare each separated by a partition wall that has a slot formation definedtherein for receiving an electric cord of a mobile telephone charger topermit a mobile telephone held in a first compartment to be electricallyconnected with its charger via a cord leading from the charger.
 7. Anaccessory as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6, in which the frontwall of the box-like structure is of a transparent sheet material.
 8. Anaccessory as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which thesupport body defines formations for supporting the body against asupport wall.
 9. An accessory as claimed in any one of the precedingclaims, in which the support body has at least one hook-like formationprojecting therefrom in a configuration in which at least one key can besuspended from the support body.
 10. An accessory as claimed in any oneof the preceding claims, in which each socket arrangement is adapted tocooperate with the connector pins of a predetermined mobile telephonecharger.
 11. An accessory as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, inwhich each socket arrangement is adapted to cooperate with the connectorpins of a predetermined range of mobile telephone chargers.
 12. Anaccessory as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which theconnector means of the electrical connector arrangement includes aconnector body mounted on the support body, which is electricallyconnected to the socket arrangements and which is accessible to permit aconnector at one end of an electrical cord to cooperate therewith forconnecting the socket arrangements in line with a mains electricitypower supply, to which the other end of the cord is connectable via aconnector plug.
 13. An accessory as claimed in any one of the precedingclaims, in which the connector arrangement includes an on-off switch forcontrolling current flow to the socket arrangements.
 14. An accessory asclaimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the support bodydefines complementary interconnecting formations on the respectiveopposite sides thereof for permitting two or more similar support bodiesto be interconnected with one another in a side-by-side relationship.15. An accessory for use with mobile telephones substantially asdescribed in the specification with reference to and as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings.